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The restaurants I visited this year were so full-spectrum that instead of a Top 10, here’s a Top 12 for 2012.

MONTREAL — This isn’t a pretty time for Montrealers, as our beloved city is taking a beating. Polarizing politics, language tensions, ever-increasing taxes, corruption and endless construction are taking their toll on dear ol’ Montreal. However, one saving grace to all this municipal misery is our deliciously vibrant restaurant scene. Yes, culinary curmudgeons pooh-pooh that the grass is greener on the other side of the Atlantic, that the Danes are more progressive and the Spaniards more creative. And how about those hip New Yorkers? But for a city our size, with a population whose dollars are being oh so parsimoniously doled out, we have it pretty good. For not only did we see a fine new array of restaurants open this year, we saw many of the well-established ones cooking with renewed vigour.

Since 1998 in this column, we’ve wrapped up the year with our choice of “best” restaurants. Yet I’m reticent to use the word “best,” as this is not a “best restaurants in Montreal” list, but a look back based solely on those reviewed in 2012. So instead, I racked my brain and thought of the restaurants that were most memorable, the ones where the service, the dishes and the ambience left not just an impression, but a lasting impression. If I couldn’t recall most of the food I tasted at an establishment, no matter how acclaimed, it didn’t make my list. So here are the restaurants that were not only most memorable, but unforgettable.

Most exciting: Mezcla. Located on a side street just off Ste. Catherine St. E., Mezcla is a warm 50-seat space with a bistro-ish vibe. The decor provides few clues about the style of cuisine, which isn’t the usual French, but nuevo latino. Chefs Marcel Larrea, who trained at the Cordon Bleu in Peru and worked here at Thai Grill, and Georges-Étienne T. Tremblay, whose Montreal experience includes La Chronique and Les Enfants Terribles, are making some seriously delicious Peruvian cuisine at Mezcla, filled with beautiful flavours and diverse textures. Dishes like yucca-wrapped shrimp, ceviche with a trio of crispy mix-ins, Gaspor pork and flanc, as well as a sublime pouding chômeur, resulted not just in a faultless meal, but a downright creative one. The wine list is another plus. Spanish-heavy, well priced with a good mix of private imports and SAQ stalwarts, it also features bottles well suited to this spicy/meaty/seafoody cuisine.1251 de Champlain St.; 514-525-9934; www.restaurantmezcla.com; *** $$$

Most impressive: La Chronique. There are a handful of restaurants in Montreal I feel privileged to dine at, chief among them La Chronique. Since it opened in 1995, there have always been 34 seats, and the room has always been cozy and classy. Looking for a romantic restaurant? This one’s hard to beat. The food is as gorgeous as it is delicious, the wine pairings are brilliant, and the service is always solicitous. For the past seven years, chef Marc De Canck has handed the majority of responsibilities over to his talented stepson (and partner) Olivier de Montigny. The style under de Montigny remains bold, yet, compared to what I remember from the De Canck days, perhaps more elaborate. Simply put: La Chronique’s food tastes posh. It doesn’t get half the foodie buzz of many other “hot” establishments, but who cares? Sophisticated as all get-out, La Chronique remains the restaurant beloved by people who really know and care about food and wine. 99 Laurier Ave. W.; 514-271-3095; www.lachronique.qc.ca; ***1/2 $$$$

Most awe-inspiring: Park. I’m convinced that the Montreal sushi scene is rapidly perking up. There is an increasing number of seriously skilled sushi chefs in the city, chief among them Antonio Park, who this year became a partner at a fabulous new restaurant named, simply, Park. Located on Victoria Ave. in an industrial/loft space, the restaurant features wondrous sushi, sashimi and all sorts of dishes produced in a style that’s part Japanese, part South Korean, part French and part North American. Watch Park in action — his speed, his concentration, his pride in his work — and witness a chef at the top of his game. The fish arrives several times a week, with some specimens flown in directly from Japan. The quality of the ingredients is impeccable, and their presentation is flawless. It’s all just so fresh! 378 Victoria Ave.; 514-750-7534; www.facebook.com/ParkResto; ***1/2 $$-$$$$

Most passionate: Pastaga. At his latest restaurant, rising-star Quebec chef Martin Juneau has developed a space that’s well aligned with his upscale/casual cuisine. One could easily mistake the baseball cap-wearing sommelier, David Ward, for a busboy or handyman. And yet his wine list, filled with well-priced and primarily organic wines, could rival that of most any high-end restaurant in the city. As for the food, well — kudos, Mr. Juneau. Of the 10 small-plate dishes on his menu, only one failed to impress. There’s something about Juneau’s cooking that has fascinated me since my first review seven years back. Again, in this new environment, he offers that ideal combination of creative, controlled and sophisticated cuisine. Ingredients are top-notch, dishes are smartly conceived, seasonings are precise and the service is seamless. When enjoying Juneau’s food, bite after bite, I always think to myself: “Man, this chef can really cook.” 6389 St. Laurent Blvd.; 438-381-6389; www.pastaga.ca; *** $$-$$$

Most wild and wonderful: Au Pied de Cochon Sugar Shack. In January 2009, chef Martin Picard’s dream became a reality when he (and his partners) purchased a sugar shack in St-Benoît de Mirabel. With wooden communal tables (seating just over 100), a long bar, globe lights and tall beamed ceilings, this sugar shack is a far cry from the usual “folksy” set-up Picard abhors. On my visit, the scene was more tavern than sugar shack. The ambience was electric and the fine wines flowed. This fall, Picard surprised us with a new menu, putting the maple on hold and finding inspiration in Quebec’s magnificent apples, an ingredient that lends itself well to his cuisine. Created in collaboration with sous-chef Vincent Dion Lavallée and pastry chef Gabrielle Rivard-Hiller, Picard’s apple menu was an orgy of excess starring ingredients like foie gras, braised beef, salmon, whelks, homemade pickles and preserves, as well as head cheese and ham made from pigs raised on the property. Here’s hoping for more themed menus in the future. I can only imagine Picard’s take on a corn roast. 11382 Rang de la Fresnière, St-Benoît de Mirabel; 450-258-1732; www.cabaneasucreaupieddecochon.com; ***1/2 $$$

Most delicious: Hostaria. When news broke that the fabulous Italian restaurant Il Mulino was to close in 2009, my spirits sank. Then last year, in its place, came the wonderful Hostaria. Hooray! Il Mulino’s co-owner Aniello Covone decided to revamp the restaurant along with his son, Massimo, who is also a partner with his brother, Fabrizio, in Botega, the wildly popular pizza restaurant right down the street. Wine agent and sommelier Alyne Russo came on as a partner as well, compiling a wine list that’s not only interesting, but well-priced. Italian-born and raised, chef Andrea Sgro, formerly of the wine bar BU, mans the stoves. The result of this combination of talents is a dynamic restaurant with friendly service, pitch-perfect Italian comfort food, an electric ambience and a clientele that would be the envy of any restaurateur. 236 St. Zotique St. E.; 514-273-5776; *** 1/2 $$$

Most chic: Graziella. This elegant Italian restaurant is celebrating its fifth year, which doesn’t surprise me one bit, as accolades have been unanimous. But with so many restaurants pulling off some brilliant food these days, I wondered how one like Graziella was faring, tucked away on its quiet stretch of McGill St. I needn’t have worried: Graziella has never been better. Chef-owner Graziella Battista has come a long way since running her first restaurant back in the ’90s. Her Italian menu is short, appealing and chock full of fine ingredients. Prices, though high, are merited. The wine list is extensive, well chosen and, again, pricey, but there are also plenty of options in the $60 range. On top of that, service is thoroughly professional. I get a little blasé from time to time about restaurants, but this one feels extra special. It’s a place that merits that snazzy outfit, your best table manners and an extra splurge on a fine bottle of wine. 116 McGill St.; 514-876-0116; www.restaurantgraziella.ca; ***1/2 $$$$

Most sophisticated: Hovey Manor. Located on the shores of Lake Massawippi alongside the picture-pretty town of North Hatley, this posh Relais & Châteaux property is beloved by many for its four-season luxury appeal and fine dining room overseen by executive chef Roland Ménard and chef de cuisine Francis Wolf. There’s nothing quite like turning into the driveway at Hovey, then walking down to the majestic main entranceway framed in white pillars. It’s all so British and Merchant Ivory. Following a recent fire, the dining room was given the facelift it deserved. With pretty pastel chairs and a collage-like wall treatment, this is one elegant dining space. As for the menu, the emphasis is on Quebec ingredients, which extends to a wine list that includes a selection of Quebec and Canadian bottles. Yes, the food verges on the fussy when it comes to plate presentations, but everything is so delicious that you just have to roll with it. This is a terrific restaurant, certainly worth the detour, and even the added expense of a room for those unwilling to drive back to the city post-feasting. 575 Hovey St., North Hatley; 819-842-2421; www.manoirhovey.com; ***1/2 $$$$

Most fun: Moishes. Opened in 1938 by the late Moishe Lighter, this family-run restaurant happens to be the city’s oldest fine-dining establishment continuously operating in the same location. Words like “oldest” and “family-run” aren’t the sexiest descriptors when it comes to restaurants. Yet two years ago, Moishes’ once dusty and dated second-floor dining room was given a makeover. When I first reviewed this iconic steak house in 1999, I was wowed by the meat, but not much else. When I returned in 2005, I swooned over everything but an overcooked piece of salmon and still-not-there desserts. But at this year’s visit, I loved everything, resulting in the conclusion that while innovation and artistry always merit praise, the mastery of simplicity must be commended as well. When it comes down to it, with its superb service, sharp new look, great food and history, Moishes scores. Going on 75 years in operation, this is one heck of a steak house. No, scratch that: It’s one heck of a restaurant. 3961 St. Laurent Blvd.; 514-845-3509; www.moishes.ca; ***1/2 $$$$

Coolest: Nora Gray. In the spring of 2011, news came that dining room manager Ryan Gray, chef Emma Cardarelli — both Liverpool House alumni — and partner Lisa McConnell planned on opening a modern Italian restaurant in Griffintown. The resulting establishment, Nora Gray, is small but very chic in a Viennese/Parisian kind of way, with dark-panelled walls, handsome studded banquettes, and a great-looking bar where one could imagine F. Scott and Zelda imbibing a sidecar or seven. Though the overall feel is rather prewar Europe, the hipster background tunes remind us we’re in a modern Montreal restaurant operated by three thirtysomethings. Thanks to Gray’s impressive wine knowledge, the predominantly French and Italian wine list is exemplary; prices are fair and there’s a marked emphasis on natural wines. As for the food, Cardarelli’s menu is Italianate without going too far down the authentic or regional routes. Pastas are homemade, the porchetta is wonderful and the pork chop is out of this world.1391 St. Jacques St.; 514-419-6672; www.noragray.com; *** $$$-$$$$

Most Montreal: Hotel Herman. Located in Mile End, Hotel Herman is a bare-bones kind of restaurant whose focus is centred on a U-shaped bar that fills the middle of the room. Smooth background tunes play at a perfect pitch, and the ambience is crackling. The crowd is hipster heavy, and the cocktails they sip are as classic as a Fred MacMurray film. The menu consists of small plates, yet some of the meatier fare is more generously portioned. Dish descriptions are simple, but plate presentations are bold and beautiful. Hotel Herman favours obscure wines, but rest assured that the staff will guide you to some interesting pairings. As for the food, chef Marc-Alexandre Mercier has got some nice things going down here, playing with classic preparations boosted by all sorts of fun flavours and textures. I won’t soon forget the seared foie gras with creamed corn and brioche. I love hot foie gras when masterfully cooked, and this one was bang-on. Corn provided the ideal accompaniment, and the brioche below soaked up all the juices. Good stuff. No, it’s not all perfect like that (yet?), but when this chef hits, he hits out of the ballpark. 5171 St. Laurent Blvd.; 514-278-7000; **1/2 $$-$$$

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